The MIners Tramway at Llechwedd Slate Caverns began in 1972 when a consortium of local investors teamed up with Llechwedd Slate Mine near Blaenau Ffestiniog to create Britain’s first public underground mine ride.
Guests would board a 2-foot gauge train for a short 2½-minute ride into the mine. On arrival, they disembarked to listen to a talk given by ex-miners, who demonstrated how the slate was extracted and described the harsh working conditions underground. After the demonstration, visitors boarded the train for the return journey. The entire experience lasted about 20 minutes.
The initial fare was 25p for adults and 10p for children. The Ffestiniog Railway was contracted to lay the track and construct the carriages, all of which were built using old skip frames. The three battery-electric locomotives were acquired secondhand from the mining industry.
The developers had anticipated around 20,000 visitors in the first season, but the attraction proved an unexpected sensation, drawing an astonishing 110,000 guests. It went on to win the top award from the British Tourist Authority for “Most Outstanding Tourist Enterprise.” The company admitted they were somewhat overwhelmed by their own success, having been unprepared for the sheer size of the crowds.
In 1974, a new two-storey building was constructed, housing a spacious restaurant, gift shop, and lecture room. That same year, another slate mine opened to the public across the road – Gloddfa Ganol – offering a similar yet different walk-through experience. The two attractions complemented each other well.
In 1979, a second attraction, the Deep Mine Tour, was opened. Guests boarded a 24-seat carriage, which was lowered a short distance underground via a cable. Once inside, they could explore a self-guided walking tour through some of the old slate workings. That year, 221,000 visitors came to Llechwedd.
By 1981, just nine years after opening, Llechwedd welcomed its two millionth visitor. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, it was one of the top tourist attractions in Wales, with crowds and long queues becoming legendary. Even Princess Margaret paid a visit.
Unfortunately, little else was added, and the site began to stagnate. In the early 1990s, a handful of old buildings were restored to create a ‘Victorian village,’ and in 1992, £130,000 was invested to upgrade the Deep Mine Tour with modern lighting and technology.
Health and safety standards also changed over time, often to the detriment of the visitor experience. By the 1980s, hard hats were made mandatory, and in 2003, the mine carriages were enclosed in plexiglass – a move that severely restricted the views and diminished the overall experience.
By the 2010s, the site felt dated and somewhat rundown. Little had changed since the 1980s, aside from ticket prices, which had risen significantly. Annual visitor numbers had dropped to roughly a quarter of their former peak.
In 2013 it was announced that major changes were underway, as a company called Zip World revealed plans to build the world’s first subterranean playground inside one of the vast caverns. Known as Bounce Below, the attraction is thought to be the world’s largest network of trampolines, covering an incredible 10,000 square feet of nets. Three giant trampolines are suspended at varying heights—ranging from 20 to 180 feet above the cavern floor—and linked together by slides, walkways, and tunnels, offering thrill-seekers a truly unique underground adventure.
The tramway continued in use during 2014 and was used to transport guests to the new attraction but it was closed the following year and the track ripped out. Guests now walk to the trampolines along the route of the old tramway.
The Deep Mine Tour remained open and was given a facelift which included a longer walk, tour guides and “enhanced reality technology and explosive special effects”. In 2021 the Zip World company took over the lease for most of the Llechwedd site and added even more unique attractions. Visit their website here.
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